No Mid-Day Meal in Telangana schools as workers’ strike continues
Over the previous two days, thousands of kids in telangana schools were left without midday meals as more than 54,000 MDM workers went on strike in order to press for the quick payment of outstanding invoices and a salary increase. The strike, which reached its third day on Wednesday, has severely disrupted the state's ability to provide meals to students.
The telangana education department has instructed district education officials (DEOs) to create substitute arrangements in order to lessen the impact on children. parents claim, however, that some schools have been unable to offer lunches for a variety of reasons. Now, teachers are requesting that students bring their tiffin boxes. Around 23 lakh pupils, or 75–80% of all students enrolled in state-run schools, depend on midday meals.
Workers give ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ call
The telangana education department has instructed district education officials (DEOs) to create substitute arrangements in order to lessen the impact on children. parents claim, however, that some schools have been unable to offer lunches for a variety of reasons. Now, teachers are requesting that students bring their tiffin boxes. Around 23 lakh pupils, or 75–80% of all students enrolled in state-run schools, depend on midday meals.
Workers give ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ call
The MDM employees have been adamant that their demands be met right away. workers allege they have not yet received the money despite a previous decision to boost the honorarium amount to Rs 3,000, further escalating their complaints.
The employees' union has scheduled for a protest gathering on Thursday, "Chalo Hyderabad," to present a memorandum to the state government, even though the education department is hoping that the strike would end soon. An MDM employee from karimnagar who asked to remain anonymous stated, "The government's response to our demands will depend on the future course of action."
The employees' union has scheduled for a protest gathering on Thursday, "Chalo Hyderabad," to present a memorandum to the state government, even though the education department is hoping that the strike would end soon. An MDM employee from karimnagar who asked to remain anonymous stated, "The government's response to our demands will depend on the future course of action."
Millions of students are affected by the strike, which also threatens to raise dropout rates because many low-income families rely on these meals as a perk to keep their kids in school.
Contractors express solidarityDue to the state government's delay in clearing invoices and honoraria, contractors who participate in the mid-day food programme have also joined the protest. As a result, headmasters of government schools have been told to prepare substitute plans, such as buying food and hiring cooks to guarantee that kids have meals. However, because it was difficult to make these arrangements, several schools started requesting that students bring their own lunches.
Bills worth crores pending
"The state government's unpaid debt to the organisations responsible for providing midday meals is the root of the problem. If our demands were legitimate, we wouldn't be doing this, the worker remarked. Agencies owe a total of Rs 1.3 crore in nalgonda alone, while pending invoices in the districts of Suryapet and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri total Rs 1.40 crore and Rs 1.81 crore, respectively.